184 



THE PRACTICAL PIGEON KEEPEE. 



appearing too long in face; if the beak be thick enough 

 and blunt at the point, and the length of it from a to E 

 be comparatvoely short, while the nostril, E F, and the space d 

 be comparatively long, the bird will very probably make a good 

 one, provided e b is well filled up in front, and the head be 

 wide across at d d. In fact, with such proportions, a fair 

 length must make up best in the end, as it will make the 

 biggest head. The cheeks below the eyes should also be well 

 filled out. After a certain age the beak generally shrivels and 



Fig. 31. 



becomes thin, thus destroying the grand and massive character 

 of the head. Hence a time comes when the finest bird must 

 yield his place to younger rivals. 



We have already said that this massive convexity being the 

 main property of a good Antwerp head, if the profile in Fig. 25 

 were shortened it would be spoilt. This will be seen on com- 

 paring the foregoing figures with Figs. 30 and .31, which 

 show exactly such a head as many judges used to think was 

 desired by Antwerp fanciers. We have purposely chosen one 

 of the best of this type, so as to make the comparison most 

 fairly ; but have seen, years ago, prizes given to far worse. It 

 will be seen at once that this is an Owly head ; and of course 



